


Something Left to Give

by wicoppi



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Keith takes Shiro to visit his father's grave, Post-Season/Series 06
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-10-04 13:44:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17305673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wicoppi/pseuds/wicoppi
Summary: this was originally posted to tumblr. i wrote this after s6 at a time when i was coming to terms with my grandfather dying. he passed a few weeks after i wrote this and this did a lot to help me find peace. we will always carry the ones we love with us.





	Something Left to Give

At sixteen, Keith knew there was more to this. It took a year to whittle that out. Before that, months to figure out it was actual friendship. Weeks to realize this guy wasn’t going to leave him alone. But if he was being honest with himself, it only took one look, that first look outside juvi, for Keith to know there was more to this than he was willing to admit.

* * *

_No one can leave if I never let them in._

Ever since he'd lost his dad, Keith worked to keep himself guarded. But Shiro managed to get past that. Not because he wanted something from Keith. Well, no. That's not true. But what Shiro wanted wasn't for himself, it was for Keith. _You can't give up on yourself._

Time and again, Shiro went out of his way to prove that he cared. That Keith was someone worth defending, opening up to, investing in. Shiro gave so much, shared everything. His experiences, his talent, his time, his words.. his life. Shiro opened up every part of his life to Keith, without request and without hesitation. 

_I have nothing to give in return._

Keith had few skills which met, led alone surpassed, Shiro's. And he struggled to be there for him, to offer meaningful support. But Keith wanted to repay the kindness he was given. Not because he felt indebted. But because he wanted Shiro to know that this friendship meant the work, the universe, to him. 

_What do you give the guy who has everything when you have nothing?_

* * *

“Keith, where are we going?” 

“Somewhere special. Trust me.” 

It didn’t take long to get there, and despite never knowing another town, coming back to this spot is the only time Keith felt like he was coming home. The one place that belonged to him and no one else. 

“What are we doing here?” Shiro asked as Keith shut off the hoverbike and dismounted. 

“I haven’t been here in years. I used to come all the time, but.. things got hard and I couldn’t do it anymore.” Keith explained, taking a long pause as he walked the maze of polished rocks, Shiro following close behind. “It- it got too hard. So I stopped coming.” 

When he found the spot, Keith crouched down to look at the stone, wiping away the dust and leaves. Shiro had stopped short a few paces back when he realized where they were. What Keith was showing him. 

Keith didn’t have much, but what he had he cherished. And he wanted this, wanted to share this with Shiro, the man who deserved a universe Keith couldn’t give him. After a few moments’ silence, Keith turned to Shiro with a glimmer in his eyes and a whisper in his voice, 

“Shiro, this is my dad.”

**Author's Note:**

> this was originally posted to tumblr. i wrote this after s6 at a time when i was coming to terms with my grandfather dying. he passed a few weeks after i wrote this and this did a lot to help me find peace. we will always carry the ones we love with us.


End file.
